Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunbre0905’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sunbre0905’, characterized by its mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with purple-colored ray florets; long peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBRE0905’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunbre0905’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Odense, Denmark. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new Osteospermum plants with uniformlymounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and attractive inflorescencecoloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by theInventor in May, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermumecklonis identified as code number 25.031.02, not patented, as thefemale, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermumecklonis identified as code number 13.313.09, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inOdense, Denmark in May, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Odense, Denmark sinceNovember, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this newOsteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbre0905’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunbre0905’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum:

-   -   1. Mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with purple-colored ray florets.    -   5. Long peduncles.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the parentselection primarily in plant habit and form as plants of the newOsteospermum are more outwardly spreading than and not as upright asplants of the female and male parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of Osteospermumecklonis ‘Sunny Plum Serena’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,511.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Odense, Denmark, plants of thenew Osteospermum differed from plants of ‘Sunny Plum Serena’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more outwardly spreading        than and not as upright as plants of ‘Sunny Plum Serena’.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Osteospermum had more ray        florets than inflorescences on plants of ‘Sunny Plum Serena’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum plant. These photographs shows the colors as true as itis reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Osteospermum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘Sunbre0905’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Sunbre0905’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in 25-cm containers in Poeldijk, The Netherlandsduring the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse and in an outdoornursery and under conditions and practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 25° C.and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 14° C. Plants were pinchedone time and were 15 weeks old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Sunbre0905’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 25.031.02,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 13.313.09,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at 18° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at 18° C. to            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 20 days at            18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 28 days at            18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; light tan in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding and outwardly spreading            plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely            branching habit with about 18 lateral branches developing            per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 24.9 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 59.1 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 144B tinged with            close to 152A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement/quantity: Alternate,            simple; leaves sessile; about 13 leaves per lateral branch.            Length: About 6.6 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Narrowly cuneate.            Margin: Entire with coarse indentations. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to            139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N137B.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A to            N137B; venation, close to 144B to 144C. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to            144B to 144C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance and flowering habit.—Daisy-type inflorescences;            inflorescences face upright and are positioned above and            beyond the foliage; inflorescences terminal and axillary;            disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum;            freely flowering habit; about 17 inflorescences developing            per lateral branch.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Plants of the new Osteospermum begin            flowering about ten to twelve weeks after pinching; plants            flower continuously from spring to late summer in Northern            Europe.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two weeks            on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Towards the base, close to 143B            to 143C; towards the apex, close to N187B to N187C; apex,            close to 4B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.1 cm. Depth (height):            About 2 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.5 cm. Receptacle            diameter: About 3 mm. Receptacle height: About 4 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About 9.5 mm            Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            towards the base, pubescent. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 23 arranged in two whorls. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 70B. When opening, lower            surface: Close to N187D; central band, close to N79B. Fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 75A; longitudinal stripes,            close to 77B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N187D;            central band, close to N79B.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex, five-pointed. Length:            About 9 mm. Diameter, apex: About 4 mm. Diameter, base:            About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 90. Color: Immature: Close to 197D; towards the apex,            close to N186A. Mature: Towards the apex, close to 76A to            76B; mid-section, close to 76D; towards the base, close to            155D flushed with close to 76D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20 arranged in            a single whorl. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 143A; towards the            margins, close to 143D. Color, lower surface: Close to 137A;            towards the margins, close to 143C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 15.1 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 8.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal peduncle: Erect. Aspect,            axillary peduncle: About 30° from vertical. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 4 mm.            Anther color: Close to 203B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 17B. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc            florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering.            Stigma color: Close to N186A. Style length: About 4 mm.            Style color: Close to N186B. Ovary color: Close to 145D.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums.-   Garden performance:

Plants of the new Osteospermum have been observed to have good gardenperformance and be hardy to USDA Zone 9 and to tolerate rain, wind andhigh temperatures of about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunbre0905’ asillustrated and described.